Kreisel wins Austrian Mobility Award (Staatspreis Mobilität)

This year, for the 9th time, the Austrian Mobility Award was presented to Austrian companies and institutions by the Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology (bmvit) as the highest award. Under the “Economic Motor Innovation” banner, the prize awarded here showcases Austria as a location for innovation. The Austrian Mobility Award 2017 goes to outstanding projects in the categories “Research. Development. Showing new approaches”, “Boosting added value. Opening up markets”, “Operations. Benefits. “Learning.” and “Unleashing future potential.” The jury, consisting of eleven international experts, selected the best projects in each category from the 78 projects submitted. The submissions, which range from internationally successful products to special solutions for niche products, offer insights into the diverse competencies and networking readiness of Austrian companies and research institutions.

“My goal is to make transport more environmentally friendly, more comfortable and safer. Innovative concepts and ideas are an essential driver of this. The Austrian Mobility Award spotlights those projects that make an important contribution to this. With their ingenuity and know-how, our domestic companies are ahead of the field worldwide and they create well-paid jobs in Austria at the same time,” said Transport Minister Jörg Leichtfried, who presented the trophies to the winning projects during a ceremony at the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK).

The Kreisel battery by Kreisel Electric from Austria’s Mühlviertel was awarded a prize in the category “Boosting added value. Opening up markets.” Kreisel’s technology makes electric vehicles even more suitable for everyday use, by extending the range and service life of the batteries. This is done by controlling the temperature of the battery cells with a recirculating, non-flammable, environmentally friendly liquid that relies on an innovative laser and welding process. The technology opens up potential applications in the field of electric mobility – from scooters to aircraft, but also in stationary energy storage and charging infrastructures.

The Austrian Mobility Award addresses participants from research, industry and business, infrastructure operators and mobility service providers as well as local authorities, municipalities, interest groups and initiatives. This year, for the first time, a Future Prize was awarded to university graduates and young entrepreneurs.